Starting device.



l J. MONAMEB.

STARTING DEVICE. 'APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 15,-1'910.

ventor,

by /f 1 Attorneys.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

. UNITED VSTATES JAMES MCNAMEE, 0F AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK.

STARTING DEVISE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application led August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,254.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES MCNAMEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of kNewYork, have invented a new and useful Starting Device, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to starting devices for automobiles and the like.Y

The principal objectof the invention is to prevent the dangerousback-lash or kick which sometimes occurs in starting the compressionengine with the ordinary crank handle.

Further objects of the invention are generally to improve and simplifythe const-ruction of startingmechanisms as well asto increase theefficiency thereof and yto decrease the expense attending themanufacture and maintenance of such devices; fur-l thermore, to reduceto a minimum the strain on the mechanism due to back-lash, andconsequently to prolong the life and efficiency thereof, and to preventinjury to the Vperson cranking the engine in the event of backlash.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear vas thedescription proceeds, the invention residesin the combination andarrangement of parts and in the -details of construction hereinafterdescribed fio and claimed, it being understood vthat changes in theprecise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a'front elevation of a portion of a motor car equipped with theimprovements of the present invention., Fig. 2 is an enlargedl detailvview of the improvements in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the construction illustrated inFigs. 1 and. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view looking at the edge of thetoothed friction ymember, showing one of the pawls. j

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the differentfiguresof the drawing.

Thereference numeral 1 indicates theforward frame of a motor car 'and2-72 the springs thereof, the numeral 3 representing the forward end ofthe engine structure or radiator.

As shown best in Fig. 3, the'k numeral 4 indicates a portion of theengine frame or base and 5 designates the main shaft of the engine. Inthe embodiment of invention illustrated, the shaft 5 is provided with atransversely extending pin 6 which is adapted to be engaged by the cutaway portions or slots 7 formed in the rear end of a clutch-member orstud shaft 8. The clutch member 8 at its rear end -is provided with achamber 9 which is adapted to receive or fit over the forward end of themain engine shaft 5. The clutch member 8 extends through an opening 10formed in the front frame l of the car. Fixed in any suitable mannerupon the clutch member 8 is a friction member or disk 11 which is formedor Vprovided at the outer edge thereof with an annular rim or liange 12.Mounted upon the disk 11 in any suitable manner is an annular washer 13which is formed of leather or other suitable material. Bearing againstthe annular washer 13 is a friction member or disk 14 which looselyrsurrounds the clutch member 8 and is adapted to be pressed frictionallyinto engagement with the washer 13 by means such as the nut 15 which ismountedupon the threaded end 16 of the clutch member 8 and is eitherangularly formed to receive a wrench or is provided withwings 17 bymeans of which it may be tightened up against a washer 18 formed ofleather or other suitable material and interposed between the` nut l5and the friction member 14;. vBy tightening the nut 15 the disk 14 ispressed tight-ly into engagement with the annular washer 13 whereby theyrotary movement which is transmittedv to the outer disk 14 by means o fthe crank handle 19- bolted. or otherwise suitably secured thereto asindicated at 20 is transmitted to the disk 11 and through said disk tothe clutch member 8 and main engine shaft 5. For the purpose of lockingthe nut l5 upon the clutch member 8 after it has been adjusted to theproper position, a lock nut 21 is mounted upon the threaded portion 16of the clutch memberv 8 as shown.

The clutch member 8 is held normally out of engagement with thetransverse pin 6 of the engine shaft 5 by means such as the coiledspring 22 which surrounds the clutch member 8 and bears at one endagainst the friction member 11 and at the other end against the frontportion 1 of the car frame. For the purpose of preventing reverselmovement of the friction member or disk 14 in the event that back lashof the engine should occur, the friction disk 14 is provided on itsperiphery or edge with a plurality of ratchet teeth 25 which are engagedby a plurality of equi-distantly arranged pawls 2G, 27, and 28 which arepivotally mounted on fulcrum members 29 threaded into a pawl supportingmember 30 which is annular in shape and is provided with a rearwardlyextending rim or flange 31 in which the friction member 11 is rotatablymounted. Each of the pawls 26, 27 and 28 is provided with a spring 32which holds it yieldingly in engagement with the ratchet teeth 25. Thepawl supporting member 30 is provided with oppositely extending arms 34which are slidably engaged with bolts 35 set into the forward member 1of the car frame and having heads 88 which prevent disengagementof thesupporting arms 34. The supporting arms 34 are adapted to sliderearwardly on the bolts 36 when the clutch member 8 is pressed intoengagement with the engine shaft 5.

An inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawing shows that three pawls areemployed to engage the ratchet teeth 25 and that these pawls are soarranged as to engage different portions of the different ratchet teeth.For example, the pawl 26 is fully engaged with the inner shoulder 25a ofthe ratchet tooth; the pawl 27 is removed by a distance equal toone-third of the length of the ratchet tooth, from the inner endthereof; and the pawl 28 is removed by a distance equal to two-thirds ofthe length of the ratchet tooth from the inner shoulder thereof. Theresult is, that no matter what the position of the friction disk 14 maybe, it only requires a rearward movement thereof for a distance equal toone-third of the length of one of the ratchet teeth 25 to cause one ofthe pawls to engage said disk and prevent further rearward movementthereof. For this reason, the friction disk 14 cannot be movedrearwardly far enough to gather sufficient momentum to cause any dangerof breaking one of the p awls. Moreover, the backward movement of thecrank, incident to back lash, is reduced to a minimum. l

Constructed as described, the operation of the invention is as follows:The nut 15 is first tightened so as to produce enough friction betweenthe disk 14 and the leather mounting of the disk 11 to cause rotationimparted to the disk 14 to be transmitted through the disk 11 and clutchmember 8 to the engine shaft 5. 1n other words, the friction members 11and 14 are tightened sufliciently not to slip when an attempt is made tocrank the engine. Preparatory to cranking, the clutch member 8 togetherwith the disks 11 and 14 and pawl supporting arms 84, is pushedrearwardly, against the tension of the spring 22, in the usual manner,until the slots 7 engage the cross pin 6 of the main shaft 5. Rotationimparted to the crank handle 19 will then be transmitted through thedisk 14 to the leather mounted disk 11 and from disk 11 through theclutch 8 to the main shaft 5. Rotation in one direction ofthe disk 14 incranking the engine is permitted by the pawls 2G, 27 and 28. Should backlash occur, a rearward movement of the disk 14 equal to one-third of thelength of one of the teeth 25, would cause one of three pawls to catchand thus prevent any further rearward movement of the disk 14 andconsequently of the crank handle 19. It is very important that one ofthe pawls should act quickly, for the reason that when the rearwardfriction disk 11 is moving under the rapid impulse of the back lash, andthe disk 14 is held practically stationary, the two disks engaged at theleather mounting 13 slip relatively to each other much easier than wouldbe the case if the disk 14 were permitted to move for a certain distancewith the disk 11 and then stop. 1n other words, when two parts arefrictionally engaged, relative movement therebetween can be producedmuch more easily by a sharp movement or impulse than by a slow movementor impulse of practically equal strength.

It will be noted that the friction disks 11 and 14 are relatively largeand that the frictional engagement therebetween is at the outer portionsor peripheries thereof. This arrangement of disks provides a largefriction surface between the disks and also pro- (luces a long leveragefrom the periphery of the friction members to the center of the clutch 8which with the yielding mounting 13 produces not only a lirm friction,but also one that can be estimated and measured with much accuracy andcontrolled with much ease and precision by means of the parts shown.

The device of the present invention is strong, simple, durable andcomparatively inexpensive in construction as well as thoroughlypractical in operation.

The reference numeral 11 indicates a collar secured to the rear face ofthe friction member 11 for preventing said collar from being moved farforward under the action of the spring 22.

That is claimed as new isz- 1. ln a starting device, the combinationwith the engine shaft and clutch member having interlocking parts, ofspring means for normally separating` said parts, a friction disk fixedon said clutch member, a friction disk loosely surrounding said clutchmember, a crank handle fixed on said last mentioned disk, meansadjustably mounted on said clutch member for tightening said disks, apawl supporting member mounted adjacent said friction disk and beingmovshaft having a pin t-hereon, aclutch member having slots adapted toengage said pin, a coil spring for holding said clutch member normallyout of engagement with said-pin, a disk iXed on said clutch member, asecond disk loose on said clutch member, ay nut threaded on said clutchmember for pressing said disks together, a crank handle Xed on -saidsecond disk, there being ratchet teeth on the periphery of the seconddisk,y a pawl supporting member surrounding said disk and having arms,said pawl supporting member being movable toward and` from said engineshaft, and pawls mounted on said pawl supporting member and engagingdifferent portions of diferent ratchet teeth on said second disk. c

3. In a st-arting device, the combination with the engine shaft andclutch member having interlocking parts, of spring means for normallyseparating said parts, a friction ydisk iXed on said clutch member, afriction disk loosely surrounding said clutch member, leather frictionmaterial interposed between said disks, a crank handle Xed on said lastmentioned disk, means adjustably mounted on said clutch member fortightening said disks, a pawl supporting member mounted adjacent saidfriction disk and being movabletoward and away from said engine shaft,and pawls mounted upon said pawl support-ing member and engagingdifferent portions of the periphery of saidlast mentioned friction disk,there being ratchet teeth upon said friction diskl In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in thepresence 0f two witnesses.

JAMES MGNAMEE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. WELLS, A. C. DARDIs.

Copies of thisv patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patent; Washington, D. C.

